Lowe’s builds together for the YMCA

Local Lowe’s employees Rob Gross, Thomas Newman, Ebony Williams and Ericka Gardin admire their work at the YMCA’s day camp site, Camp Soaring Eagle. The team used a $1,500 grant from Lowe’s to buy materials and volunteered their labor to build a roof and stairs on the playground. They also added a tire swing and made the regular swings a little safer.

Effingham YMCA Executive Director Kim Dennis was tickled when the Y was selected by local Lowe’s employees to benefit from a $1,500 grant for repairs and improvements on their day camp playground.

“The work was invaluable,” she said. “For us to have paid to have this done would have taken us a while.”

As part of the Lowe’s Heroes community service project program, Lowe’s used funds for materials and volunteered their labor recently for the YMCA.

They added a sturdy roof to the structure and stairs, as well as a new tire swing. They also fixed the swings with materials to make them safer.

Dennis was thrilled with the finished product and honored that Lowe’s had thought of the Y for this project. One of the employees on the project said they chose the YMCA because so many Lowe’s employees and their families are members and use YMCA services.

“Not only is the YMCA instrumental in our community to have the outlet for what it provides,” said Rob Gross, “but a lot of our folks at Lowe’s are members here.

“It’s like paying back the community and volunteering for yourself as well.”